


Spiral of Rebirth

by ErinPrimette



Category: Final Fantasy X, Norse Religion & Lore, 魔法使いの嫁 | Mahou Tsukai no Yome | The Ancient Magus Bride
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst with a Happy Ending, Environmentalism, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mentor/Protégé, Monster Boyfriend, Suicide Attempt, Teratophilia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2018-09-11 15:20:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8995465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErinPrimette/pseuds/ErinPrimette
Summary: Since Braska couldn't defeat Sin and bring forth the Calm, all Yuna could endure from the people of Yevon was hatred. Without any sense of love, she offered herself as a sacrifice to Sin. Little did she know, Sin had other things planned for her, which will leave her questioning everything she once believed in. Perhaps she would have to look beyond Yevon to find another way to pick up where her father left off.





	1. Chapter 1

As the sun began to set beneath the overcast clouds, the merchants began to close their market stalls for the day. Warrior monks ushered folks out of the docks to ensure incoming passengers would have easier passage when they disembark the boats. A few nuns in the temple of Bevelle volunteered to tidy up the prayer hall while a few more nuns gathered ingredients for the chefs in the kitchen.

Yuna, on the other hand, didn't seem to have enough energy to get through the day, so once she barely made it through the afternoon class without making a scene, she slipped through the hallways while the other orphans scrambled for equipment so they could start their menial chores. She slipped out the back door and tiptoed through the gardens, trying to avoid running into any nuns running the orphanage.

Now that she left the temple, Yuna wandered through the streets, her eyes glued to the pavement while avoiding any leers from any bystanders. There were moments when she almost stumbled over a stray pebble, yet she kept herself from falling over. She ignored the sound of laughter from civilians that dared to make a glance at the daughter of a heathen summoner that failed to defeat Sin ten years ago and paid the price with his life.

Had the Calm come at that year, she wouldn't have to deal with this.

It was unfortunate that she had gotten used to this humiliation to the point she believed these words about herself. Yuna darted into an alleyway and traced her hand along the stone wall. It was only a short time before she found a door. She tilted her head upwards, examining the tall building looming above her. It wasn't as significant as the Palace of Saint Bevelle, but it'll do.

Yuna pushed the door open and stepped inside just as the overcast clouds started releasing raindrops from the sky. She slinked along the back hallway and ascended the staircase, passing by several floors along the climb. When she reached the top of the stairs, she pushed through another door and stepped out onto the rooftop. She ignored the raindrops as she walked across the roof and sat at the ledge, gazing down at the city below. With no one to disturb her, this allowed Yuna to contemplate her thoughts.

Part of her wanted to become a summoner so she could at least try to succeed where her father failed, but would anyone even want to be her guardian? She suspected the priesthood wouldn't even approve of someone like her going on the Pilgrimage. Echoes of hateful words rung in her head as she hugged her legs in her chest, resting her forehead on her knees. Recalling the peaceful times she spent with her parents before her father went on his Pilgrimage was difficult these days. She couldn't find herself remembering past the day she lost her mother when Yevonite zealots raided their home, resulting with Yuna being sent to live in the temple. Was she not even supposed to exist?

Yuna slowly rose to her feet and glanced down. Painful memories still swam in her head, and she suspected that it won't be long before the nuns would send guards to find her. Inside her head, she calculated the height of the building, determining if it would be far enough that jumping off the roof would result in her death. At the same time, she felt her stomach twist at the thought of dying. She doubted that anyone in Bevelle or the rest of Spira would mourn her.

No one would miss her, really.

With her mind having already made up a while ago, she stood on the edge of the roof with the intent to lean forward, not paying attention as the rain escalated into a heavy downpour with a harsh gust of wind. She was this close when she suddenly heard the temple bells ring, the noise echoing across Bevelle.

Yuna shot her eyes open and took a step back before she scanned her surroundings. The instant she laid her eyes upon the massive whale-like monstrous form everyone identified as Sin, she figured there might be another way to die. As much as she wanted to be frightened of Sin, she didn't find a point in doing so. Would she have to move through the city to get closer to this beast or could she just stay where she was? As the civilians scrambled for safety, Yevonite monks scrambled to release Evrae as Sin drifted closer to the city. For some reason, Yuna found herself wanting Sin to sink some part of Bevelle she was standing in, partially assuming she won't die alone. When it did get as close enough to Bevelle as it could, he started tilting his head sideways as if it was looking for something. Was it looking for some weakness to the city?

Yuna had little to no time to come up with questions when her mismatched eyes locked onto the massive beast's violet eyes, only to realize Sin's head was pointing in her direction. It took her a moment to realize that it was remaining idle for some reason. What caused it to hesitate? This didn't last long when the Yevonites released Evrae, the dragon diving after Sin. Seconds later, Sin enveloped itself in an energy barrier, deflecting any attacks from Bevelle's dragon.

Yuna, on the other hand, was reluctant to wait another minute as she returned her focus towards the edge of the roof. She started to lean forward, but all of a sudden, a Sinscale landed on the edge of the roof, which startled her to the point she took a few steps back. She tried taking deep breaths as the Sinscale uncurled itself and slowly crawled towards her. Its wings started glowing and it started making a series of chirps and whistles while it circled her, keeping its gaze focused on her. She slowly lowered her head and stiffened her back, expecting the Sinscale to deliver the killing blow.

"I'm sorry, father," Yuna whispered in soft sadness, "I think Spira would be better off without me."

A couple minutes passed and nothing happened, even when the rain still persisted. When Yuna glanced at the Sinscale, it was still examining her. She couldn't read its expression, so she couldn't understand why it was still hesitating. She tilted her head towards Sin, only to notice it had pushed Evrae back by a few meters. It turned its head towards the Palace of St. Bevelle before its eyes started glowing. The next thing she saw, Sin fired an energy pulse that hit the palace. It changed the energy beam's angle down the palace wall with such concentration that would baffle anyone devoted to Yevon.

This energy beam only reached halfway towards the base level when it suddenly dissipated. Evrae finished recuperating from Sin's attack when the millennium old beast made one last glance at Yuna before it turned to the distance and glided towards the sea, not giving Bevelle's guardian dragon another chance to attack. Seeing this as a sign that Sin was retreating, the warrior monks called over Evrae to rest another day. Its sudden and brief appearance gave Yuna enough confusing questions to the point she almost forgot her previous motive.

"There you are, heathen!" she heard a gruff voice from behind.

Yuna glanced over her shoulder to notice two warrior monks emerged from the door on the roof. One of them aimed his rifle at the Sinscale as it shifted into a defensive position while the other warrior monk stomped towards the heretic summoner's daughter. She froze in place just as he placed a tight grip on her arm and yanked her forward, eliciting a yelp of pain out of her.

"W-Wait, I-I'm sorry," she squeaked.

"Save your apologies for Sister Girva!" the warrior monk spat.

Yuna flinched the instant she heard the other warrior monk fire at the Sinscale, blasting its head off and causing it to disintegrate into pyreflies in seconds. Both soldiers dragged the heathen orphan down the stairs and through the streets. It didn't take more than a few meters before Yuna stopped struggling and allowed them to escort her down the mostly empty streets. It seemed that the citizens have yet to hear the all clear sign from the temple.

By the time they returned to the temple, the two warrior monks shoved Yuna into the administration office. She landed on her hands and knees before she tilted her head upwards, recognizing Sister Girva and Father Kolvi. When both clergy turned their heads towards her, they gave her a harsh glare.

"You were trying to escape again," Kolvi interrogated, "weren't you, Yuna?"

Yuna lowered her head and shook her head.

"Don't lie to us, girl!" Girva scolded.

Yuna slowly pushed herself to her feet, her body shivering as she attempted to hide the pain in her voice.

"I-I just w-wanted to be…alone for a bit," she stammered.

Sister Girva folded her arms while Father Kolvi placed his hands on his hips.

"This is the second time you ran off this year," Kolvi lectured, "have we not raised you since you came to the temple ten years ago? Does your father's blasphemy compel you to become ungrateful to Yevon?!"

"I-I'm s-sorry, sir," Yuna whispered.

Yuna lowered her head while she hugged her arms to her chest.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Kolvi threatened in a harsh tone.

Yuna flinched as she snapped her head upwards and locked her eyes onto the priests.

"I just wasn't in a good mood today, sir," Yuna continued to confess.

Sister Girva raised an eyebrow while she tilted her head.

"Oh, really?" she scoffed, "is that your excuse for falling behind in your lessons this past year?"

Yuna slowly lowered her head.

"I swear," Yuna objected, her apologetic voice apparent, "on some days I just don't have the strength to carry through the day."

Father Kolvi and Sister Girva exchanged glances before they shook their head in disbelief.

"Yuna," Kolvi said, "you know we can't keep you here in this temple forever. Once the next year rolls by, you'll have to move out. It's also unfortunate that life as an acolyte isn't an option for you, either."

Yuna fought the urge to cry as she lifted her head towards Father Kolvi.

"I understand, Father Kolvi," she nodded.

Father Kolvi nodded at Yuna with a blank expression.

"You may leave, now," he commanded.

Yuna slowly nodded before she turned on her feet and stepped out of the administration office. As she ambled down the corridor she left behind a trail of water, considering she didn't dry herself off. It didn't matter to her that the other temple orphans interpreted this as all Al Bhed were filthy heathens, and considering that no one believed her when she said anything, part of her believed that about herself. Instead of heading to the banquet hall for supper, she entered the dormitory and slowly slipped out of her soaked uniform, stashing it into the laundry hamper. She quickly changed into her nightgown and climbed the ladder to the top of the bunk before she tucked herself underneath the covers.

As much as she wanted to fall asleep, she found it difficult to do so, since thoughts over her close encounter with a Sinscale still flooded her head. Was it possible that Sin knew about her through her father? She wasn't sure whether or not he could look into other people's memories. Still, why would Sin even take interest in her when he's already killed thousands of innocent people over the last thousand years? Without saying anything out loud, Yuna silently scolded herself for not ending her own life earlier so she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. If she couldn't go on a Pilgrimage, then maybe she would find some other risky task which she wouldn't survive. She ignored the footsteps of the other students entering the dormitory an hour or so later as she nestled her head into her pillow.

* * *

The following morning, many people lucky to have lived another day continued on with their lives, but were still a little shaken from last night. Several warrior monks set off to investigate the damaged wall of the Palace of St. Bevelle. Once they reached a circular platform facing the palace, they examined the wall, only to notice large letters engraving the wall. It took them moments to recognize it was the Common Spiran alphabet, so they didn't need to find a priest to translate for them. Many of them resorted to reading the letters vertically, starting from the top. Once they reached the last letter, they soon suspected that this was Sin's message:

Surrender Yuna.

Over the course of the entire day, rumor began spreading across Bevelle. Many were baffled that Sin would have the audacity to send a direct message to the city's temple. Many of them suspected that since Sin killed Braska in his failed attempt to bring the Calm, the ancient beast might be thirsting for his daughter's blood.


	2. Chapter 2

The recent rumor managed to spread as far as the temple school upon the next morning, and Yuna didn't expect much results from her day. Having to resort to skipping breakfast, she barely made it into the classroom, yet Sister Mathia and the other students glared at her once again.

"You are late again, Yuna," Mathia scolded, giving off a bitter tone, "you will come see me after class. Understand?!"

Yuna stiffened as anxiety filled her eyes. Still, she slowly nodded, not wanting to disrupt the lessons any further.

"Y-Yes," Yuna replied, "Sister Mathia."

Yuna shuffled through the classroom and settled down into her seat. She ignored stink-eyes from the other students as she pulled out the scriptures from her desk and started reading them while Sister Mathia began the morning lesson. Her mind still lingered in shame, anticipating the lecture Sister Mathia might give her if she was lucky. Actually, she dreaded the oncoming verbal insults directed at her and she had a sneaky suspicion she would get more of them today.

Over the course of the lecture, Sister Mathia carried out her lecture to the point she didn't pay much attention to the world. Yuna also drowned out the noise while keeping her eyes glued to the scriptures on her desk, not caring if she read ahead of everyone else.

The silence broke immediately when Sister Mathia heard a knock on the door. She walked over to the door and opened it, only to reveal the son of Jyscal Guado, Seymour, was waiting out in the hallway.

"Oh, Lord Seymour!" Mathia warbled before she spread her arms and then gestured the shape of a ball with her hands while she bowed, "what brings you here? We are in the middle of lessons."

Seymour closed his eyes as he chuckled, yet he returned the prayer gesture.

"I don't mean to disturb your lessons, Sister Mathia," Seymour said, "but I'm looking for Yuna. Is she in your classroom?"

Mathia blinked twice before she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes locking onto the heretic's daughter.

"Yuna!" Mathia yelled in a harsh tone.

Yuna flinched, making a barely audible squeak, yet she snapped out of her thoughts and tilted her head towards Sister Mathia.

"Y-Yes, ma'am?" Yuna stammered.

Mathia took a step back, allowing Seymour to take a step into the classroom, catching the attention of the other students. The nun gave Yuna a stern look, prompting her to stand to her feet and slowly approach the Guado. Not sure what to do, the young girl locked her mismatched eyes onto Seymour before she gestured the Yevonite prayer.

"I-It's a pleasure to meet you," Yuna blurted nervously, "L-Lord Seymour."

Yuna squeezed her eyes shut just she the other students snickered amongst one another. Seymour seemed to ignore their response as he also gestured the Yevonite prayer before returning his gaze towards Sister Mathia.

"Now," Seymour informed, "do you mind if I borrow Miss Yuna for a moment? There is something important that I want to discuss with her alone."

Yuna lowered her head while the nun gave the Guado a blank stare.

"V-Very well, Lord Seymour," Mathia nodded.

Seymour nodded at Yuna before he led her out of the classroom, but not before he placed a tight grip on her right arm and dragged her along the hallway. She wanted to protest, but she couldn't bring herself to speak. All she could do was follow the Guado's footsteps as they made their way through the orphanage corridors.

"Now," Seymour started, "two days have passed since Sin visited Bevelle. As you know, it always lies destruction and death in its wake. But it baffles me that Sin wouldn't try to sink Bevelle this time, until I remembered it left behind a message for all of the people of Spira to see."

Yuna stole a brief glance at Seymour.

"So why are you coming to me?" she asked him.

Seymour stopped in his tracks all of a sudden. He hesitated for a moment before he gave a slight chuckle.

"Based on the rumors and the message itself," Seymour replied, his voice hiding an ominous tone, "Sin wants your life."

Yuna couldn't help but shudder as she gave Seymour an anxious stare. If Sin wanted to kill her, then why didn't the Sinscale attack her? She immediately brushed off the thought and replaced it with the possibility that she could bargain with the Guado to end her life…that way the people of Bevelle would no longer be burdened with her existence.

"I guess that doesn't concern me at all," Yuna admitted.

Seymour raised his eyebrow before he continued escorting Yuna through the corridor.

"Well, Yuna," Seymour proposed, "if death is what you desire, then you could offer yourself to Sin as a sacrifice."

By now, Seymour and Yuna stepped out the front entrance and into the courtyard.

"If I do so," Yuna repeated, "will I do a good service to Yevon?"

Yuna lowered her head, the anticipation of death fast approaching.

"It would count as that," Seymour nodded.

Seymour glanced down at Yuna, awaiting her answer as she hesitated for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.

"I'll do it," she said softly.

Seymour grinned before he escorted Yuna through the courtyard. The son of Jyscal didn't hesitate as he dragged the heretic summoner's daughter through the streets. One Yevonite pelted Yuna in the face with a pebble, causing her to flinch and squeeze her eyes shut. Seymour didn't pay attention as some children from a noble family passing by laughed at the orphan in his grasp. She lost track of time for a bit even when Seymour arrived at the large door of another section of the temple, which Yuna recalled housed the Chamber of the Fayth. The Maester of the Guado's son wasted no time as he ushered the daughter of Braska inside. After walking down one long corridor, they entered the High Court of Yevon, where Yuna saw Grand Maester Mika standing at the balcony.

"So, Lord Seymour," Mika said, gesturing to Yuna, "is this the daughter of the heretic summoner Braska?"

Seymour nodded before he gave Yuna a stern gaze and gestured to the floating platform. Yuna took the hint and climbed onto the floating platform, remaining still as the platform then ascended until it was level with the highest balcony, allowing the Grand Maester to stare into her eyes.

"Miss Yuna," Mika affirmed, "it has been ten years since your father failed to defeat Sin, hasn't it?"

Yuna paused for a moment, doubt still lingering in her head.

"Yes," she nodded softly.

"You understand that Yevon and the Al Bhed can never coexist in peace like your father believed," Mika continued, "you know that everything the Al Bhed do are a sacrilege to Yevon itself. If it weren't for the benevolence of Yevon, the temple priests never would've taken you in."

Yuna didn't say anything, but she hugged her arms to her chest, her chest heaving with the possibility that the Grand Maester was right about her.

"Alas," Mika added, his voice not attempting to hide a nasty tone, "your existence has cursed the people of Yevon. We cannot let Sin raze Bevelle to the ground. Have you anything to say before the time of your end?"

By now, Yuna no longer had the strength to hold back her tears anymore. She slowly lifted her head and kept her mismatched eyes focused on the Grand Maester.

"I-I'm sorry," she admitted softly, "I couldn't prove my value to the people of Spira."

Yuna lowered her head and closed her eyes.

"If Sin wants to kill me," Yuna sighed in defeat, "I might as well accept this fate."

The Grand Maester gently rubbed his chin as he tilted his head upwards in a moment of silence. After he made up his mind, he tilted his head towards Seymour and nodded just as the floating platform descended towards the base floor.

"Very well," Mika instructed, "prepare her for the sacrifice."

Yuna turned on her feet and jumped back onto the floor, not caring as Seymour placed his hand on her shoulder.

"This way," Seymour advised.

The Guado gestured Yuna to follow him through a door leading into another corridor. They made their way to the door to a changing room, where Seymour opened the door and pushed Yuna inside.

"We'll come retrieve you when we're ready," Seymour told her.

Seymour closed the door without saying anything further. Trapped in a small room with no one else inside, Yuna scanned her surroundings until she spotted a garment laying on a chair. Stepping towards the chair, the heretic summoner's daughter lifted this dress and examined it, memorizing the low-cut v-neckline that reached her stomach, its long sleeves, its white color and its skirt length that would most likely cover half of her thighs. It took less than a second to understand they left that dress for her, so she carefully slipped out of her uniform, starting with her jumper and ending with her camisole. With the articles of her uniform on the ground, Yuna slipped on the dress before she leaned her back against the wall and sat down on the floor. She spent the rest of the day contemplating on the many ways she would die under Sin's powers.

* * *

By late afternoon, a small crowd flooded the city square that stood near the gate to Bevelle's coast, with the clergy from the temple standing at the front row. The warrior monks formed a clear path and stood in full attention as the witnesses saw two columns of warrior monks sauntering along the path. Facing the front row of the crowd, Grand Maester Mika stood at a podium while the clergy stole a brief glance at the heathen daughter of the heretic summoner walking along between the armored figures. Handcuffs bound her wrists in front of her as she kept her head glued to the ground. The soldiers still ushered her along as they made their way to the gate.

"People of Spira," Mika announced, "as these recent events have come to fruition, Sin has demanded a live sacrifice, something that has not been done for a long time."

Yuna didn't pay attention as the students from the temple leered at her, spewing insults that she had gotten used to growing up.

"Braska, the heretic summoner who took on the Pilgrimage and failed to defeat Sin," Mika continued, "has been a stain to the glory of Yevon for ten years. His daughter will be offered so that Sin's wrath will be appeased for a time."

By now, the procession was mere meters closer to the gate, so a few warrior monks pulled the gate open, allowing the procession to pass through. Now that they made their way to Bevelle's coast, one warrior monk within the procession grabbed Yuna's restrained wrist and ushered her along the rocky shores. She didn't bother to fight back and resisted the urge to flinch as some sharp rocks sliced at the bottom of her bare feet. Once they reached a pole not too far from the gate, the warrior monk lifted Yuna's arms and fastened her handcuffs to a hook, securing her in place before he stepped back and returned to the rest of the procession.

With the warrior monks having returned to the gate, Yuna could only wait. Alone, she gazed into the distance as the waves from the sea crashed into the coast. She lost track of time by the time she noticed massive black veins spreading across the surface of the sea. Without saying anything, she repeated the message inside her head over and over: Sin was coming.

Surely enough, the call that resembled that of a whale combined with sirens and wind echoed in her ears as the massive ancient beast rose out of the sea. In a matter of seconds, Sin tilted his head and locked its multiple eyes onto Yuna, even when those eyes wriggled in its head. She slowly closed her eyes, anticipating the killing blow that would end her life.

"It doesn't matter anymore," Yuna whispered to herself, "just finish me off and be done with it."

Sin slowly glided towards the coast of Bevelle and stopped in its tracks the instant its head was closer to Yuna. Letting out a soft rumble, it lowered its head and carefully examined her. Without warning, it slowly opened its mouth and Yuna slowly opened her eyes. She saw tendrils slithering out of its mouth, a few of them reaching for her wrists. In a matter of moments, the tendrils broke the hook, allowing Yuna to lower her still restrained wrists. Part of her started developing questions in her mind, but she brushed it off quickly.

Yuna stared into Sin's violet eyes one more time, only to notice a few tendrils wrapped themselves over her torso. Without warning, they lifted her off the ground. She used the last of her strength to stifle any moans of protest as Sin pulled her closer to underneath its jaw. She wasn't sure why it started cradling her in its tendrils all of a sudden, but she couldn't help but shudder as Sin turned its head away from Bevelle and began gliding across the sea.

She still expected to die, and yet Sin has yet to make the killing blow. Was there something that was holding it back? Still, the sound of the seas rolling waves happened to mesmerize her to the point Yuna closed her eyes once again. Maybe her final moments could be peaceful at least.

But then, was this really what Sin had planned for her?


	3. Chapter 3

Yuna didn't expect to open her eyes ever again, but when she did, she found herself in the arms of…someone. Out of confusion, she began scanning her surroundings, she noticed a coast to a strange fjord to her left. When she tilted her head to the right past the figure holding her, she took in the sight of a valley that led to a forest not too far. In the valley near the coast stood a house that didn't resemble any of the architectural structures of Bevelle…or Spira for that matter.

Yuna snapped out of her thoughts and tilted her head upwards, only to notice this man's head resembled that of a whale. In a split second, she immediately recalled the gigantic beast that had such a similar head.

"S-Sin?" Yuna muttered, "is that…?"

Sin lowered his head and focused his on the heretic summoner's daughter.

"So you recognize me from Bevelle," he acknowledged in a gentle basso profondo tone.

For some reason, Yuna couldn't help but give…him a blank stare. When he spoke, he didn't move his mouth, which seemed rather strange to her. Still, more questions kept emerging in her head.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Yuna asked.

Sin let out an audible sigh as he lowered Yuna onto the ground.

"After I faced your father ten years ago," he explained, "I learned about you from Jecht. Since I couldn't save your father, I reflected on my own actions and how they would impact you. Nonetheless, I decided to protect you from the same tragedy that befell your father, should I find you."

Yuna shuddered, her eyes reflecting on that day she heard Grand Maester Mika make a speech of Braska's failure to defeat Sin ten years ago. She lowered her head and pressed her arms against her chest, panting as softly as she could to suppress the urge to panic.

"Does that justify you killing countless people?" Yuna protested, "even my father?!"

Yuna didn't think she recovered the strength to fight back her tears, yet Sin gently placed his hand on top of her head in an attempt to soothe her.

"I cannot control a single person's way of life," Sin told her, "let alone thousands. The powers I have is part of my nature."

Yuna slowly lifted her head.

"Then, why do you keep bringing all of this destruction?" she bleated, her voice teetering between sadness and a hint of anger, "do you hate us?"

After a moment of silence, Sin shook his head.

"I cannot bring your father back to life, Yuna," Sin reassured, "but I'll do what I can to give you a second chance at your life."

Upon hearing those words, Yuna stood straight and gazed into Sin's eyes, noticing his soft expression. He made a brief glance at her restrained wrists before he tapped his finger on the handcuffs. The next thing she knew, the handcuffs instantly shattered into pieces and disintegrated into tiny particles that began floating into the air. After a moment of silence, Yuna returned her gaze towards Sin.

"So," Yuna reminded, "what do you want from me?"

Sin took a few steps closer to Yuna and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"For now," Sin told her, "why don't I help you settle into your new home?"

To emphasize his point, Sin gestured towards the strange house in the distance. From the outside, this house appeared to be snug and comfortable, and a greenhouse stood adjacent to it. It had been built with wheat colored bricks and had grey stone decorations. Large, octagon windows allowed enough light to enter the home and have been added to the house in a mostly symmetric way. If this was Sin's homestead, how did he maintain it, anyway? Yuna returned her gaze towards the destroyer just as he lifted her into his arms. She simply relaxed in his arms as he traveled closer to the house, walking along the stone path before making his way through the door. He lowered her to the floor, allowing him to remove his belt before he removed his robes and hung them on a coat rack. After he set his belt aside, he escorted Yuna through the corridor before they stepped into a bathroom on the second floor. At the northeast corner sat a circular drop-in bathtub with a frame made of polished marble.

"Uh, Sin?" Yuna stammered.

Sin glanced over his shoulder and focused his eyes on the daughter of Braska.

"Did the temple give you a chance to bathe yourself when you needed to?" he asked her.

Yuna couldn't help but stare at Sin in a moment of silence. She couldn't find herself to recall the last time she bathed herself, or if the orphanage ever let her use the baths. By the time she remained hesitant over a few moments, the destroyer already figured out his suspicions.

"Since Yevon was…negligent with your hygiene," Sin let out an annoyed sigh.

For some reason, Yuna couldn't help but stiffen as Sin slowly approached her. When he noticed her blushing in embarrassment, he tilted his head slightly.

"Uh, I-I think I can bathe on my own," she stuttered.

Sin kept his gaze at her for a short moment before he turned towards the tub.

"Allow me to prepare it for you, then," he offered.

He turned on the faucet, adjusting the water's temperature with a small fire crystal attached to the wall. As the water slowly filled the tub, Yuna slowly and nervously pulled her dress over her shoulders before she hugged it closer to her chest, concealing her body. Once the destroyer turned off the faucet with the tub halfway full, he focused his multiple eyes onto the daughter of Braska. Without making a sound, she cautiously lifted her legs and dipped them into the tub, taking a moment to relish the warm water soothing her skin. Strangely enough, Sin eyed the dress still in the girl's arms.

"Yuna?"

Squeezing her eyes shut, Yuna slowly lowered herself into the tub. Just as she sat near the edge, she extended her arms outward, allowing Sin to pluck the dress out of her arms.

"If you need any further help," Sin advised, "then let me know."

Sin placed a wind crystal at the edge of the tub before he turned to leave the bathroom. Yuna slowly opened one eye to ensure the coast was clear. After that, she leaned her back against the wall and examined a soap rack hanging above the tub. A few soap bars sat in the lower rack and various jars of herbal hair gel sat in the higher rack. To her left, a towel rack hung along the wall. She then tilted her head upwards and noticed tiny creatures whose heads resembled bells and bodies resembling thin vines that hung on the ceiling, swaying back and forth and emitting chimes that filled the room. Did she see similar creatures from Bevelle? She couldn't remember. No matter, she reached for a soap bar and rubbed it against her hands, generating enough suds before she started scrubbing the grime off her body. Once she finished, she placed the soap bar back in the rack.

The instant Yuna submerged her body with her head still lingering above the water, she let the water rinse off the suds. This particular water felt much cleaner than the water in Bevelle's sewers. After some time, Yuna sat up and reached her hand towards a jar of herbal hair gel, only to notice a tiny human-like creature outside a small window high above the tub.

"What's this?" the creature chirped, "an adorable human girl in Loki's home?"

Yuna gave the creature a blank stare.

"W-Who?" Yuna stammered.

The creature opened the window and flew into the room, descending down to Yuna's level. By now, she noticed it had wings on its back.

"What?" the creature retorted as she placed her hands on her hips, "you never heard of Loki before?"

Yuna shook her head before she started scrubbing some gel into her hair.

"Did you come from a place where there are no fairies?" the creature added.

Yuna kept up with her task, yet she raised an eyebrow.

"You're a…fairy?" Yuna clarified.

The fairy nodded with a grin.

"But you can call me Sylph," she said, "I thought you wouldn't be able to see me, but since you acknowledged my presence, I'm convinced otherwise!"

Moments later, Yuna finished scrubbing her hair. She dipped her head into the tub, allowing the water to rinse off the gel and revealing the newly clean hair underneath.

"Are you lonely these days?" Yuna asked, "it seems like you could use a friend."

Sylph sat on the edge of the tub, her chin resting on her palms while she stared at Yuna in curiosity.

"Well, do you have any friends?" Sylph remarked.

Yuna sat up again and focused her eyes on Sylph.

"No," Yuna shook her head.

Sylph's wings drooped in disappointment, but she soon zipped around the bathroom and hovered closer to the daughter of Braska.

"If that's the case," Sylph offered, "I can be your friend. We could go out to the forest to play!"

Sylph leaned forward and kissed Yuna on the cheek. This brief gesture of affection gave her a bit of an epiphany. If she couldn't make friends in Bevelle, then maybe it was worth making friends outside of Spira? But then, a harsh thought reminded her that she didn't deserve friends. She snapped out of her thoughts moments later and returned her glance at Sylph while she waved her hands.

"I'll see you this evening," Sylph chirped, "take care!"

Without saying much further, Sylph flew out through the small window, leaving Yuna to finish rinsing herself off. She found a drain plug and pulled it out, allowing the tub to drain. She slipped out of the tub and snatched a towel from the rack before she dried herself off. Luckily, she found a pair of shorts and an oversized shirt to slip into. Once she finished, she stepped out of the bathroom and into the hallway. She started exploring the house, hoping to find Sin in one of the rooms. When she stopped at the kitchen, she saw another strange man with shoulder-length red hair standing at the stove while he stirred something in a pot. She felt that she shouldn't disturb him, but before she could tiptoe away, the strange humanoid tilted his head in Yuna's direction.

"Oh," he greeted, "are you the daughter of Braska?"

Yuna froze in her tracks and tilted her head in the strange man's direction.

"Y-Yes," nodded Yuna, "do you live here, too?"

The strange man chuckled, humor glistening in his green eyes with a grin decorated with dot-like scars along his lips.

"I am Loki," he introduced, "and I am the master of this house."

"Loki?" Yuna blinked twice.

Loki nodded.

"In case you were wondering," Loki added, "Sin started cohabiting with me around a hundred years ago."

Yuna gave Loki a blank stare as he returned to cooking…something in the pot.

"By the way," Loki continued, "he is waiting for you in the living room. The soup will soon be ready."

Yuna gave Loki a slight bow before she made her way through an archway on Loki's right. There, Sin sat in an armchair near a rectangular table while holding a teacup in his hand. On the coffee table, she could see two cups of tea and a plate of biscuits. Sin took a moment to focus his violet eyes onto Braska's daughter.

"Do you mind taking a seat?"

Without saying anything, Yuna ambled over to the couch and sat down. While she waited, she observed a bookshelf to her right.

"There's tea available for you, Yuna," Sin reminded her.

Yuna snapped out of her thoughts before she reached out and held a teacup in her hands. After a moment, she took a sip of the tea, savoring the herbal flavor mixed with the right amount of honey. She didn't recall encountering such flavor in any of the meals the temple served growing up, so this tea made her feel at home…somehow.

"Sin," Yuna asked, "did you know about me…from my father?"

Sin wasn't sure why, but he felt a chill down his spine. He still retained his composure nonetheless.

"Partially," Sin admitted, "but also after I made a truce with the Al Bhed months ago."

Yuna stiffened, yet she held onto her teacup.

"Wait a minute," Yuna objected, "I thought you were our punishment for our vanity! Wouldn't you…despise the Al Bhed?"

Sin shook his head.

"Regardless of what Yevon thinks of them," Sin answered, "I can give them a chance to adapt."

Yuna sighed before she lowered her head.

"Then why would you want to help someone with Al Bhed heritage?" she asked softly.

Sin perked his head up before he reached forward and placed his hand on Yuna's shoulder.

"Your father's decision to marry someone Yevon despises is not your burden," Sin reassured her, "it is not healthy to punish yourself for some imaginary crime."

Just as Yuna reluctantly nodded at Sin, Loki stepped into the living room with a tray carrying three bowls of potato soup with mushrooms, ham and carrots added in and placed it down at the coffee table.

"Oh, t-thank you, Loki," Yuna stammered.

Yuna set down her teacup and picked up a bowl of soup. She took a spoonful of the soup, savoring its homelike flavor.

"Anytime, Yuna," Loki smiled, "you are welcome to stay here."

Loki sat down before he and Sin reached for their bowls of soup, enjoying this savory meal. As grateful Yuna felt for Sin sparing her life, it still gave her more questions that the Teachings of Yevon would not dare to answer.


	4. Chapter 4

That evening, Loki showed Yuna around the house and introduced her to the spare bedroom. Inside, a desk stood underneath the window and a bed sat at a corner to Yuna's left. After examining her surroundings, she tilted her head towards the trickster.

"I didn't think I'd get my own room," Yuna gave Loki a bow, "thank you for your kindness."

Loki chuckled with a soft smile.

"Anytime, Lady Yuna," he replied, "will you be needing anything else?"

Yuna took a moment to think over the question. So far, she was in the middle of adjusting to the gravity of the realization that her life had been spared by the ancient beast that the people of Spira feared for a thousand years. Was it rare for Sin to open up to anyone in Spira? After the moment, she shook her head.

"Very well," Loki shrugged, "I'll let you turn in for the night. See you in the morning."

While Loki turned to leave, Yuna stepped into her new room and closed the door behind her before she climbed onto her new bed. She couldn't smell any mildew or anything else foul. In fact, she noticed an herbal scent emitting from the covers. She set off to tuck herself in when suddenly…

"Psst!" she heard someone whisper, "Yuna! Over here!"

Yuna sat up and noticed Sylph outside the window above her desk. A particular memory returned to her head, so she slipped out of bed and opened the window, allowing the strange fairy to float in.

"Oh," Yuna blurted as Sylph floated into her palms, "you're my new friend, right?"

Sylph nodded with a grin.

"I invited you to come play in the forest this evening," Sylph reminded, "didn't I?"

Yuna gave Sylph a blank stare as she blinked once.

"Right this moment?" Yuna clarified.

"Come on!" Sylph insisted, "there's a cool light show in the forest! Don't you want to see it?"

That was enough motivation for Yuna to put on a pair of slippers. She opened the door, making sure to keep as quiet as possible. She scanned the hallway, unsure if she should find the other bedrooms.

"S-Should I inform Sin or Sir Loki?" Yuna pondered.

Yuna was about to turn left, but Sylph grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

"Don't worry," Sylph asserted, "you'll be fine! It won't take long and no one will mind."

Sylph immediately gave Yuna puppy eyes.

"Please?" she begged.

After letting out a soft sigh, Yuna tiptoed through the house and snuck out of the back door. While Sylph led her into the forest, Sin peered through the window in his room on the second floor, taking notice of this act.

"Fantastic," Sin muttered to himself while he stood from his chair, "now Sylph has taken interest in her. This should be interesting."

While Sylph led Yuna through the forest, the fairy left behind sparkling trails. Fireflies also flew around in the forest, their lights flickering on and off. While strolling along the path, Yuna caught a glimpse of a Coeurl perched on a thick tree branch. On another tree perched an owl scanning its surroundings. Still, she had to return her attention to Sylph to avoid getting lost. During the trek, they came across a river, but they couldn't find a bridge to cross it. Yuna placed her feet on the water, yet she didn't sink.

"Cool!" Sylph chirped.

Yuna didn't respond, so she stepped across the river. Once she reached the other side, Yuna and Sylph continued forth through the forest.

"Is it far from here?" Yuna asked, "we've been walking for a while."

"Just past these trees," Sylph answered.

After a while, Yuna and Sylph reached the clearing, which revealed a lake. To the daughter of Braska's amazement, pyreflies danced along the water surface while fairies played across the clearing.

"Hey, Yuna," Sylph chirped, "what's your family like?"

Yuna shuddered as a couple painful memories resurfaced in her mind. Nonetheless, she managed to remain calm.

"My parents?" Yuna said, "they're both dead."

Sylph let out a curious hum.

"That's so sad. What happened?" Sylph paused.

Yuna closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"The Teachings of Yevon," Yuna continued, "said that a summoner must use the Final Aeon to defeat Sin. My father…performed the Final Summoning ten years ago, but I suppose Sin overpowered the Final Aeon. I wish I knew exactly how my father died, though."

Sylph drooped her wings and landed on Yuna's shoulder.

"I don't know who Yevon is," Sylph commented, "but I'm pretty sure this guy knows nothing about Sin's true nature."

Yuna tilted her head towards Sylph.

"And…you do?" Yuna asked.

Suddenly, before Sylph could answer, she and Yuna noticed the fairies zipped away from the clearing in a panic and the lights dissipated.

"W-What's happening?" Yuna stammered.

For some reason, Sylph couldn't help but shiver with fear.

"That doesn't look good," she whimpered.

Seconds later, a strange mist swept across the lake and Yuna heard ominous laughter from a distance. While the heretic summoner's daughter and Sylph approached the coast to investigate, they saw pyreflies coalesce until they formed a ghostlike figure.

"Yuna," the figure beckoned, "welcome home."

Seconds later, the pyreflies completed the figure, and Yuna suddenly recognized him.

"Father?!" Yuna warbled, "wait, that can't be right…"

Even as Braska stood on the surface of the water, Yuna refused to take another step. She had a sneaky suspicion that there might be something wrong. She kept herself vigilant, even when Sylph hugged herself to Yuna's arm and whimpered anxiously.

"What's wrong, Yuna?" Braska insisted, "didn't you miss me?"

Yuna closed her eyes and remained still, reflecting on the day she parted with her father before he left with Sir Auron and Sir Jecht on their Pilgrimage. Without warning, another painful memory resurfaced, and she found herself recalling when her life in the temple orphanage grew much worse after Grand Maester Mika's announcement of Braska's failure to defeat Sin.

"There's no way…my father would be alive," Yuna panted, panic slowly trickling down her spine, "that's just not possible!"

Yuna started stepping backwards, and it was only moments later when ominous laughter erupted again while three strange creatures who resembled beautiful women with wings and mermaid tails.

"Well, well," the lead strange creature mused, "it seems we have a stubborn girl here."

Yuna froze in fear as her eyes widened at the strange fiends.

"What are you doing here?!" Yuna demanded.

The lead strange creature chuckled in amusement.

"It would do you no good to deprive a siren of your praise," she chastised, "would it?"

"S-Sirens?" Yuna squeaked softly.

Sylph shook her head rapidly.

"Don't listen to them," Sylph peeped.

Growing bolder with her ambition, the lead siren extended her arms towards Yuna.

"Don't you miss your father?" she beckoned, "we can bring him back."

Yuna shook her head in disbelief and took a step back.

"N-No," Yuna protested, "I don't believe you!"

The sirens tilted their heads sideways, their eyes giving an eerie reflection. The lead siren smirked as she floated towards Yuna.

"There's no need to be afraid, dearie," she insisted, "you can have anything you desire…if you come with us."

Yuna kept backing away from the lake until she noticed she couldn't move. She squeezed her eyes shut and extended her arms.

"S-Stay back!" Yuna shouted.

If only she was allowed to become a summoner, she would then have some means of fighting back. But then, she would need guardians to protect her. Did that rule exist beyond Spira? She started thinking of dwindling ways she could escape her predicament. A small part of her reminded her that she could let these sirens kill her, if that's what they were going for to begin with. She cracked one eye open, only to watch as a flame appeared and scorched the siren's body, eliciting a shriek of pain out of her.

"Why you rotten little witch!" the second siren snarled.

Yuna opened her other eye and held her hands in front of her while the flame dissipated. All the while, Sylph released her grip and her eyes widened in awe.

"You…you casted a fire spell!" Sylph exclaimed.

Yuna made a brief glance at Sylph.

"A what?" Yuna blurted.

"A fire spell!" Sylph repeated.

Yuna and Sylph returned their attention towards the Sirens as flames flickered in their eyes. Getting all riled up, the fairy clenched her fists and made a fighting stance, her fierceness apparent in her expression.

"Hey, you!" Sylph spat, "come at us, you punks!"

Snarling, the third Siren charged at Sylph, but the fairy zipped out of the way with ease. Yuna concentrated for a moment and flicked her hand, sparking a flame to envelop the siren. The daughter of Braska kept her eyes focused on the other sirens as one of them prepared to cast a spell. With a flick of her hand, the second siren brought down a lightning bolt that struck Yuna, eliciting a yelp of pain out of her. While the heretic summoner's daughter resisted the urge to collapse to the ground, Sylph threw her fist forward, summoning a gust of wind that hit the lead siren. Yuna found herself reinvigorated by small particles enveloping her a split second later.

"S-Sylph?" Yuna stammered.

"Hang in there, Yuna," Sylph reassured, "I got your back!"

By now, the sirens gathered together and locked their eyes onto Yuna.

"Oh, dearie," the lead siren sang, "we are in a hurry, so don't keep us dawdling."

To Yuna's horror, vines with sharp claws at each tip emerged from underneath their wings. The sirens didn't hesitate to swing them at the heretic's daughter. Just as she covered her face with her arms and braced for the ensuing pain, she suddenly found herself enveloped underneath a force field that deflected the vines. Yuna glanced over her shoulder, only to notice Sin had extended his arm while aiming a bizarre staff at the sirens. Relieved, she lowered her arms and returned her gaze towards the sirens while the force field dissipated.

"What brings you here, destroyer?!" the lead siren demanded.

Sin's eyes changing into a crimson color.

"It was despicable of you to attack a helpless girl," Sin threatened.

Hugging her arms to her chest, Yuna slowly stepped towards Sin while the lead siren narrowed her eyes on the destroyer which took his anthropomorphic form.

"So how did you find out about us?!" the second siren pestered.

Sin stashed his staff before he folded his arms.

"I simply surveyed the area beyond a human's vision for any danger," he said solemnly, "you lay harm on this girl again and I will vaporize you."

The sirens folded their arms while Sylph stuck her tongue out at them.

"Fine," the lead siren huffed, "I guess we'll leave you and your little pet in peace…for now."

Sin's eyes returned to their violet color while the sirens turned to leave. Yuna lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut the instant he tilted his head towards her. She wasn't sure why, but she felt anxiety fill her mind when he extended his hand, which caused her to flinch.

"Sin," Yuna stammered, "I-I'm terribly sorry. I was just…"

Yuna couldn't say anything further, yet Sin gently placed his hand on her head.

"Settle down, Yuna," Sin assured Yuna.

Strangely enough, relief flooded her mind. Out of curiosity, Yuna tilted her head and locked her mismatched eyes onto Sin's violet ones.

"You're not mad at me?" Yuna paused.

Sin shook his head. He then tilted his head towards Sylph.

"The sirens have been taken care of," Sin informed.

Sylph harrumphed as she folded her arms.

"If you ask me," Sylph retorted, "those sirens weren't supposed to be here!"

Sin ignored Sylph's ramblings while he returned his gaze towards Yuna.

"Sirens lure unsuspecting victims with either a song or an illusion of their loved ones," Sin explained, "they won't hesitate to kill their victims once they fall into their trap."

Yuna blinked twice.

"I'm…amazed you know all of this," she commented.

Sin nodded in agreement as Yuna and Sylph exchanged glances, the fairy hovering closer to her.

"I'm sorry the light show was ruined," Sylph sighed, "maybe you could come play with me next time?"

Yuna gazed into Sylph's eyes as she extended her hand. Giggling, the fairy grasped the heretic daughter's finger.

"Do you think," Yuna began, "I could…become a summoner like my father?"

Sylph tilted her head to the side and giggled.

"In case you're wondering, you don't need Yevon's approval to become a summoner," Sylph proclaimed, "you can train to become one yourself!"

Yuna wasn't sure why, but she found herself smiling at the fairy.

"Thank you," she said.

Sylph grinned as she released her grip.

"See you later, Yuna!" Sylph chirped.

Sylph looked to the sky and flew off. Yuna turned on her feet and returned her gaze towards Sin.

"Are there temples outside of Spira?" Yuna clamored.

Sin took a moment to think over the question as he rubbed his lower jaw.

"If you're referring to the ones where you can visit the Chamber of the Fayth to obtain an Aeon, no," Sin answered, "out in Midgard, you'll need to earn their trust in order to receive their powers."

Yuna took a moment to digest the information as she glanced at her palms. She knew the fire spell she discovered couldn't be a white magic spell. She snapped out of her thoughts when Sin gently lifted her into his arms.

"Why don't I take you home?" Sin offered.

Yuna stared into the destroyer's eyes before nestling her head onto his shoulder.

"All right," Yuna answered.

Sin left the clearing while holding Yuna close, and began meandering through the trees in the forest. By then, the fireflies already left, so Sin lit his staff so they wouldn't lose their path. They were halfway through when the daughter of Braska found a question lingering in her head.

"Sin," Yuna asked, "did you see that…spell I cast?"

Sin made a brief gaze at the human in his arms.

"You mean the fire spell you used against the sirens?" Sin clarified.

Yuna lifted her head off his shoulder and nodded.

"I don't see myself going on a Pilgrimage," Yuna admitted, "and I don't have anywhere else to go."

By the time they emerged from the forest, Sin settled Yuna onto the ground, the human still gazing at him.

"Do you think," Yuna asked, "I could understand more about myself if I studied magic?"

After a moment of silence, Sin placed his hand on Yuna's shoulder.

"I suppose there's hope for you yet," Sin answered, "starting tomorrow, you'll be known as my apprentice."

As Sin and Yuna made their way back to the house, she began pondering if this could be some form of atonement for herself and her father. Better yet, could she find some other way to bring atonement for the rest of Spira?


End file.
